I had been in the 'call center' industry for almost three years and being stressed out had been an understatement. It was definitely toxic. I had to admit, this kind of industry may not be suitable especially for those who have some health issues. Nonetheless, I knew myself and what I could do and I suited up for the job. After months of taking in all kinds of calls (mostly overseas), I felt a deep longing to take sometime for relaxation and break. ‘I want to break free!’ that was what I was talking about and this has been running around my head already for quite sometime. As a sort of a cathartic means to let some pressure escape from my being, I asked one of my 'wavemates' (a term coined in the industry to denote a class or batch) if she felt the same way as well. Right on the money, I was not alone that we wanted to take a break. We need a sort of a 'team building' to vent exhaustion out.
It was during our downtime that we had a chance to talk and brainstorm the what, when, where, who, why and how of our getaway. Since we had schedule conflicts or issues, we tried to suggest a lot on how we would be relaxing. The session ended when one of our seniors suggested the place 'Puerto Galera' and everbody agreed.
Honestly, when everybody agreed, I was taken back in my mind. 'Where is Puerto Galera anyway?' was the question that was jumping around my mind. One of my teammates who was a native or Mindoro told me that the place was just approximately four (4) to five (5) hours travel from Manila. Accessibility is not a problem and we just had to take the SLEX or South Luzon Expressway going to the Batangas Pier and we need to board the vehicle in a 'RoRo' ship (roll on, roll off vessel) for us to use the vehicle with us at Puerto Galera. Ease of access was definitely not a problem going to Puerto Galera, especially within the Metro Manila area. There was actually a bus terminal that provided service from Manila until tourists arrived at the vicinity of the resort itself. Another option according to my colleague (this brought out the adventurer in all of us), was to look for bus on the main road going to Batangas Pier and we would find our way to the place.
During the day itself, we had a sort of a problem. The van that was intended to transport us and that we would be using was delayed. For that reason, we decided to take a bus headed to Batangas pier. We were surprised that our supervisor was ahead of us and the van was with her as well! She took advantage of our 'shock' and we boarded the RoRo ship.
We spent the next twelve (12) – sisteen (16) hours at Puerto Galera as if there was no tomorrow. The beach was so alluring that was the reason why everybody was having fun in the cool blue water! We could not help but join the crowd and as for me, as soon as I stepped at the shore and felt the water, I immediately plunged my head and sank making my whole body drenched in water and it was an amazing feeling. It seemed that all the stress and pressure left my being and I was renewed. I felt I was a 'new man'! We ended our team building by dropping by at our officemate’s ancestral home at Mindoro and had some time to rest.
We arrived at our colleague's place just around lunch time. We have had our feel of one of his relatives' special dishes. At first it seemed to look like ordinary breaded fried pork and chicken with a sauce but when the dish found its way in our palate, it was really unique. I even quipped, 'Wow! Fried Galera!' Everybody had a good laugh and we were enjoying ourselves that time.
Before we went home, our supervisor asked for some few moments to have a small talk or meeting. She admitted that she 'set up' the 'no-van scheme' for a purpose. She wanted us to be united and at the same time be happy with our teammates. She explained that the journey in itself was part of the team building process and the moral was that we had to stick together no matter what. We all smiled and some were teary-eyed and as always, I did 'break the ice'. It was really a wonderful experience for us to one as a team. Puerto Galera had left something on my being after that short 'break' happened in my life. As of today, even though we had already decided to part ways, we would still gather together as a team as if we had just parted our ways just a day ago.
If summer getaway means being in a lovely and captivating white sand beach and party all night long ambiance without the hassle of long travel and heavy luggage. Then, the place called Puerto Galera is definitely the best place to consider.
Puerto Galera is a comforting image of gleaming and glistening aquatic place bounded by blossoming terrains and mountains. It is regarded as one of the most attractive, beautiful and developed beach resort district or community in the Philippines.
Puerto Galera's charm started as 'backyard tourism' wherein native and locals accepted foreign and city dwellers (from Metro Manila areas) as stay-in tourists. From then on, tourism had blossomed and had taken a radical level. Throughout the place's development and progress, various restaurants, inns, resorts and hotels have thrived within the vicinity.
Upon the arrival of guests, visitors or tourists, they will board customized motor boats (or bancas) on their way to several resorts or accommodations around the area. As soon as tourists, guests or visitors set foot in Puerto Galera, fun begins! There are a lot of things a tourist could do in Puerto Galera. Activities such a stargazing, watching the sunset, beach-hopping, play some beach volleyball, chatting and bonding with friends around a bonfire and pitching tents could be done in Puerto Galera.
Never the less, Puerto Galera’s main asset is still its crystal clear water and its white sand coast or shoreline. For this reason, aquatic activities, other than swimming, like diving and snorkeling are very popular among tourists and visitors in Puerto Galera. The place is perfect for family gatherings, team buildings, and also for individual relaxation and unwinding.
For the past years, Puerto Galera has been one of the favorite getaways, especially for call center agents, because of its proximity to Metro Manila area. This means, just a little preparation and some arrangements should be considered going to Puerto Galera. One of the travel agencies that promotes and provides vacation packages in Puerto Galera is ActiVentures Dive, Golf and Adventure Tours.
The travel agency's forte or specialty is setting up or arranging diving itinerary in Puerto Galera. ActiVentures Dive, Golf and Adventure Tours travel agency offers a complete package for tourist from accommodations to all related travel itineraries within Puerto Galera.
Getting relaxed in a white sand beach or ambiance does not always mean taking a long journey. There is always an alternative. However, considering the beauty and wonders of Puerto Galera, it should definitely be the first option to take.